Walsall FC - The Saddlers « Express & Star Click here for a map and directions to the Banks's stadium. Walsall FC's Banks's stadium is at the Bescot retail Park, just off Junction 9 of the M6. Head off the M6 and follow the A461 to Walsall, turning right at the lights after you have passed the Morrison's on your left into A4148 Wallows Lane/Broadway West - sign-posted Banks's Stadium. At the next set of traffic lights (1/3 mile) turn right onto Bescot Crescent, the stadium is 1/4 mile along the road on the left hand side. Parking is available at the stadium at £3 per vehicle. Click here for information from the official club's website. The nearest railway station is Bescot Stadium station, situated across the road and a two minute walk from the ground.

Division Two Runner-Up : 1998–99 Division Two Play-Off Winners : 2000–01 League Two Champions, Division Three Runners-Up, Division Three Runners-Up(old): 2006–07, 1994–95, 1960–61 Division Three Play-Off Winners (old) : 1987–88 Old Division Four Champions : 1959–60 Old Division Four Runners-Up : 1979–80 Saddlers Heroes Alan Buckley Career appearances: 419 Buckley, who signed from Birmingham City in 1979 for still a club transfer record sum of £175,000, remains Walsall's all-time record goal scorer with 202 goals. Buckley cemented himself in a Walsall side that had a reputation of cup giant killings in the 70s. The all-time Saddlers top scorer grabbed a goal against Manchester United in an FA Cup upset in 1975 and lead the Saddlers as a manager to defeats of Arsenal and a valiant draw at Anfield in the League Cup.

They lost the return leg 2-0 and missed out on their chance to get a maiden voyage in Europe. Famous Saddlers Fans Pete Waterman, the music mogul and former Pop Idol judge is a Saddler. Waterman, also a keen train enthusiast was born in Coventry but is a life-long Walsall fan. Banks's Stadium | Walsall FC | Football Ground Guide Football Ground Guide Address: Bescot Crescent, Walsall, WS1 4SA Telephone: 01922 622 791 Ticket Office: 01922 651 414/416 Pitch Size: 110 x 73 yards Club Nickname: The Saddlers Home Kit: Red and Black Away Kit: Blue and White Main Stand External View Looking Towards The Tile Choice Stand Main Stand Looking Towards The KIA Stand Tile Choice Stand External View WHAT IS THE BANKS'S STADIUM LIKE? The Saddlers moved to then called Bescot Stadium in 1990 from Fellows Park, which had been their home for 104 years.

A fairly simple affair, somewhat similar to Glanford Park in Scunthorpe, which was opened two years earlier, the stadium received a boost in 2003 with the opening of a huge stand at one end. This is a large two tiered affair that completely dwarfs the rest of the ground. It is smart looking, with a glassed area running across its middle, which houses the concourse. Unusually, it has a slightly larger upper than lower tier. This end before it was re-developed was previously called the Gilbert Alsop (a former Walsall playing great) Stand, but in a commercial sponsorship deal, it is now currently called the Tile Choice Stand. The rest of the stadium is totally enclosed with three of the stands being roughly the same height, giving it a 'box-like' feel. These stands are not particularly big, around 15 rows high. The corners are filled, but only for advertising hoardings. The Homeserve Main Stand on one side has a small television camera gantry perched on its roof, as well as the players tunnel and team dug outs at its front. At the back of the stand is a glassed area, which I presume is used for corporate hospitality.

Opposite is the WFC Community Stand which is a simple seated stand that has dedicated areas for wheelchair users at its front. The main disappointment is the large number of supporting pillars in each of the older stands (the newer Tile Choice Stand is pillar free). As Walsall unfortunately very rarely fill the stadium, this is not a huge problem. However, for big games this can be very annoying if you are unlucky enough to get seated behind one. There are four floodlight pylons mounted on the roof of each side stand. In one corner of the stadium between the away end and the Family Stand is a large video screen that was installed in 2014. In a corporate sponsorship deal with Marstons Brewery, the stadium has been renamed the Banks's Stadium. FUTURE STADIUM DEVELOPMENTS The Club have announced that they have been granted planning permission to redevelop the KIA (William Sharp) Stand at one end of the ground. The new stand would look similar to the Tile Choice Stand and add 2,300 seats to the stadium, raising the overall capacity to 13,500. It would also mean that up to 4,000 away supporters could be accommodated at that end.

The back of the stand will also feature a giant advertising hoarding, clearly visible from the M6. However there are no firm time scales as to when this might actually happen. WHAT IS IT LIKE FOR AWAY SUPPORTERS? Away supporters are housed in the KIA Stand at one end of the ground, where around 2,000 away supporters can be accommodated. There are a few supporting pillars at the front which could impede your view. The good news though, is that even a small amount of away fans can really make some noise and make a good atmosphere. A trip to Walsall can be disappointing in terms of trying to get there and the stadium itself, but is more than countered by the relaxed atmosphere around the ground and the friendliness of the Walsall fans themselves. Neil Harding a visiting Hull City fan provides his thoughts on the stadium; 'In my opinion The Bescot has to be one of the poorest grounds in the country. It has a strange look to it with three covered stands all the same size, but one large stand that towers over the rest of the ground, giving it a somewhat lopsided feel.

I found the away end to be rather cramped and the view distorted by one of the four pillars that run across the front. The only good thing is that it the stand is covered, which means a good away following can create a lot of noise. The away end is served by a food kiosk stuck in each corner, and near to the toilets which created a bit of a bottle neck at half time, especially as a large away following was present. The food though, if you are prepared to wait, was excellent, especially the chicken balti pies. The home fans didn't appear to be threatening in anyway and the stewards came across as a friendly bunch of people. The amount of police on duty though did seem a little excessive for what was a bit of a nothing game'.

Inside you will find a range of Pukka Pies available including Chicken Balti (allegedly Walsall were the first Club in the country to stock Balti pies) and Steak & Kidney Pies (£3), Cheeseburgers (£3.40), Burgers (£3.20), Hot Dogs (£3.20), Sausage Rolls (£2.10) and Pasties; Cornish (£2.40), Minced Beef and Onion (£2.40) and Cheese & Onion (£2.40). Neutral supporter going to the game? If you are a neutral supporter attending the game then I would recommend sitting in the Tilechoice Stand at one end of the ground. This is simply that situated between the two tiers is a large enclosed area that overlooks the pitch. This contains two bars, refreshment kiosks and a giant television screen showing the latest scores. I was very impressed with the facilities. In fact if the refreshment kiosks had been serving prawn sandwiches then I might have thought that I had stumbled into a corporate hospitality area!

PUBS FOR AWAY FANS This is the Saddlers Club situated just outside the stadium that is happy to admit away supporters on matchdays on payment of a £2 entrance fee, although under 16's are admitted free. The Club has two rooms, a smaller one at the front which is for home supporters and a larger function room at the back, which is for away fans. This area has seating for 300, has a large screen showing Sky Sports news, has food on offer, such as pies & burgers plus they offered real ale (on my last visit this was Wychwood Hobgoblin). Overall, I was very impressed with the facilities, but as you would expect if there is a large away following it can get full pretty quickly. Otherwise, the nearest pub to the ground is the King George V on Wallowes Lane. It is okay, but again understandably busy which can make it a bit difficult to get served quickly. It is about a 15 minute walk away, opposite the Morrisons Supermarket. If you are walking from the stadium, go out of the official car parks and down towards McDonalds. Go past McDonalds on your right and take a left hand turn into Wallowes Lane.

At the end of the lane turn left onto the main road and the pub is just setback on the left. Away fans though should avoid the Fulbrook pub near to the ground. Otherwise after many years of opting not to sell alcohol to away supporters inside the stadium, the Club now serve beer to away fans! DIRECTIONS AND CAR PARKING Banks's Stadium is located right next to the M6, in fact you can see it from the motorway just north of the RAC Control Centre. Unfortunately, this stretch of motorway normally has a large traffic jam on both Saturday lunchtimes and early weekday evenings, so allow extra time. From M6 South Leave the M6 at Junction 7 and take the A34 towards Walsall (beware though of speed cameras on this stretch of dual carriageway). At the end of the dual carriageway turn left at the Bell Inn public house into Walstead Road (sign posted Bescot Stadium, Bescot Station Park & Ride). Continue straight on this road for two miles, passing another pub called the Tiger on your left. You will come to Bescot Stadium and entrance to the away end on your right.

From The M6 North Leave the M6 at Junction 9 and take the A461 towards Walsall. Bear right on to the A4148 (Wallowes Lane) and turn right at the second set of traffic lights. You will see the ground on your left. Car Parking There is a good sized car park located at the ground behind the away stand, which costs £4. The car park lends itself to a quick getaway after the match. Bescot Railway Station also offers car parking for £2. Alternatively there is some street parking to be had off Wallowes Lane. Post Code for SAT NAV: WS1 4SA FIND AND BOOK YOUR WALSALL HOTEL OR NEARBY AND HELP SUPPORT THIS WEBSITE If you require hotel accommodation in the Walsall or the Birmingham area then first try a hotel booking service provided by Booking.com . They offer all types of accommodation to suit all tastes and pockets from; Budget Hotels, Traditional Bed & Breakfast establishments to Five Star Hotels and Serviced Apartments. Plus their booking system is straightforward and easy to use. Yes this site will earn a small commission if you book through them, but it will help towards the running costs of keeping this Guide going.

BY TRAIN The Banks's Stadium has its own Railway Station, called Bescot Stadium which is situated behind the away end and is only a few minutes walk from the turnstiles. Trains run there on a local line from Birmingham New Street and the journey time is around 20 minutes. There is a regular service on Saturdays along this line and you should not have too many problems getting away after the game. Find train times, prices and book tickets with trainline. Booking tickets in advance will normally save you money! BOOK TRAIN TICKETS WITH TRAINLINE Remember if travelling by train then you can normally save on the cost of fares by booking in advance. Visit the the trainline website to see how much you can save on the price of train tickets. Click on the trainline logo below: Like a number of Clubs Walsall have a category system (A & B) of ticket pricing, whereby the most popular games cost more to watch. Category A games are shown below with Category B prices in brackets.

Home Fans* Homeserve Main Stand: Adults £23.50 (£22), Concessions £18 (£16.50) Tile Choice Stand (Upper Tier): Adults £23 (B £21.50), Concessions £17 (B £15.50) Tile Choice Stand (Lower Tier): Adults £19 (B £18), Concessions £15 (B £14) WFC Community Stand: Adults £23 (B £21.50), Concessions £17 (B £15.50), Under 18's £15 (B £13.50) WFC Community Stand (Family Tickets): 1 Adult + 1 Junior £25 (B £23.50), Extra Junior on family ticket £12 (B £10.50) Away Fans* KIA Stand: Adults £21 (B £20) Concessions £16.50 (B £15) Family Tickets** 1 Adult + 1 Junior £23 (B £22), Extra Junior on family ticket £12 (B £10.5

0) Concessions apply to Over 60's/Juniors who are Under 18.

* Please note that these prices are tickets purchased prior to matchday. Tickets bought on the day of the match can cost up to £2 more. ** These Family Tickets are only available on matchdays from the Walsall FC Ticket Office. walsall f c : definition of walsall f c and synonyms of walsall f c (English) Current season Walsall Football Club are an English association football club based in Walsall , West Midlands . They currently play in League One . The club was founded in 1888 as Walsall Town Swifts, an amalgamation of Walsall Town F.C. and Walsall Swifts F.C. The club was one of the founder members of the Second Division in 1892, but have spent their entire existence outside of English football's top division; their highest league finish was sixth in Division Two in 1898–99. Walsall moved into their Bescot Stadium in 1990, having previously played at nearby Fellows Park . Their opening game was a friendly fixture against local rivals Aston Villa , with Villa winning 4–0. The ground is now known as Banks's Stadium for sponsorship purposes.

[1] The team play in a red and white kit and their club crest features a swift . They have rivalries with neighbouring Black Country teams, West Bromwich Albion and Wolverhampton Wanderers (though these teams are often more concerned with their rivalry against each other, rather than against Walsall), with more 'reciprocal' rivalries against Shrewsbury Town , Wrexham , Crewe and Port Vale . The club's nickname, The Saddlers, reflects Walsall's status as a traditional centre for saddle manufacture. Contents 13 External links History This article or section may be slanted towards recent events . Please try to keep recent events in historical perspective. (August 2009) Formation and early years The Walsall team pictured in 1893 Walsall were formed as Walsall Town Swifts in 1888 when Walsall Town F.C. and Walsall Swifts F.C. amalgamated. [2] Walsall Town had been founded in 1877 and Walsall Swifts in 1879. [2] Walsall Town Swifts' first match was a draw against Aston Villa .

Two players from this early era received international caps; they remain the only Walsall players to be so honoured. In 1882, Alf Jones won the first two of his three caps (against Scotland and Wales ) while with Walsall Swifts, and in 1889 Albert Aldridge received the second of his two caps while playing for Walsall Town Swifts. The club were first admitted to the Football League in 1892, as founder members of the new Second Division , but in 1894–95 finished 14th out of 16 teams and failed to be re-elected to the Football League. In 1896 they changed their name to Walsall F.C. [2] and joined the Midland League. A year later, they returned to the Second Division, three teams having failed re-election in 1896. The team finished in sixth place in 1898–99, but once again failed re-election two years later, dropping back into the Midland League. A move to the Birmingham League followed in 1903, and in 1910, the club were elected to the Southern League .

With the expansion of the Football League after World War I , Walsall became a founding member of the Third Division North in 1921. Walsall's highest "home" attendance was set in 1930, when they played in of front of 74,600 fans against Aston Villa in the FA Cup Fourth Round. Although a home match for Walsall, the tie was played at their opponents' Villa Park ground, and it remains the highest attendance that Walsall have ever played in front of. The football used in Walsall's victory over Arsenal in the third round of the 1933 FA Cup. In 1933, Walsall won 2–0 in the FA Cup against Arsenal at Fellows Park . Arsenal went on to win the First Division that season, and the cup defeat to Third Division North side Walsall is still regarded as one of the greatest upsets in FA Cup history. Post-war era In 1958, following a reorganisation of the Football League, Walsall became founder members of the Fourth Division.

Under the management of Bill Moore, the club achieved successive promotions, scoring 102 goals on their way to winning Division Four in 1959–60 and finishing as Division Three runners-up in 1960–61 to reach the second tier of English football for the first time since the early 1900s. Players such as Bill 'Chopper' Guttridge, Tony Richards and Colin Taylor were intrinsically important to the success of the side. After just two seasons in the Second Division, the club were relegated back to Division Three in 1962–63, and remained there until a further demotion to the Fourth Division, in 1978–79. The club has always had a rich history of producing players who go on to play at the top level. Allan Clarke went on to win the League Championship under Don Revie at Leeds United after beginning life at Fellows Park. Bert Williams and Phil Parkes both became England goalkeepers in the years after they progressed from their roots in Walsall.

David Kelly had a long career at the top level after leaving Walsall in 1988, representing the Republic of Ireland at the very highest level of international football. More recently, Michael Ricketts represented England after blossoming at Bolton Wanderers . In recent years, Matty Fryatt and Ishmel Demontagnac have both represented England age-groups. 1980s The 1980s were a period of considerable activity for Walsall. In 1983–84 they defeated First Division club Arsenal in the League Cup at Highbury, and advanced to the semi-final, where they gained a 2–2 draw against Liverpool at Anfield , but lost the second leg 2–0 and the tie 4–2 on aggregate. This cup run saw Walsall famously only 90 minutes away from playing in Europe. Walsall narrowly missed out on promotion to the Second Division in the same season. In 1986 plans were announced to move Walsall to Birmingham , to groundshare with Birmingham City . The town rallied behind Barrie Blower, who led a campaign to save the club.

Walsall were subsequently bought by millionaire entrepreneur and racehorse owner Terry Ramsden and with his money came high profile signings and the attention of the national media. In 1986–87, under new manager Tommy Coakley, Walsall narrowly missed the play-offs, but made considerable progress in the FA Cup as they defeated First Division Charlton Athletic and Birmingham City and took Watford to two replays in the fifth round. Walsall earned promotion through the old Division Three play-offs in 1988, beating Bristol City in a replayed final. 1988–89 saw the club relegated from Division Two and Ramsden's business empire collapsed alongside the Tokyo Stock Exchange . Walsall were minutes from being taken over by Japanese administrators and folded, but survived, again through the actions of Barrie Blower and local businessmen. Further relegation followed at the end of 1989–90 as Walsall were consigned to Division Four. 1990–2000 Logo used from 1995 to 2007 The club moved to the Bescot Stadium in 1990.

At the time it was a state-of-the-art arena, and was only the second new Football League ground since the 1950s. A Morrisons supermarket was built on the site of the old Fellows Park ground. The arrival at Bescot Stadium saw some stability brought back to the club after two successive relegations. Ex- Wolves star Kenny Hibbitt managed the club for four years, setting the groundwork for a golden era for the club that would follow soon after his dismissal in September 1994. New manager Chris Nicholl led the club to promotion in his first season, building the nucleus of a strong and under-rated team. Two seasons of stability followed, before Nicholl resigned in 1997, citing family reasons and the fact that he felt the club had progressed as far as he could take it on the limited funds available to a lower-league football club. Ex- Ajax and Danish international Jan Sorensen took the helm after departure. Whilst 'The Saddlers' finished 19th in Division Two that season, the club reached the 4th Round of the League Cup (beating Nottingham Forest and Sheffield United along the way), as well as rampaging through the early rounds of the FA Cup.

Lincoln United were dispatched in the first round, whilst league newcomers Macclesfield Town (who until then had been unbeaten at home in all competitions) were beaten 7–0. Peterborough United , who themselves have a rich cup pedigree, were beaten on a bitterly cold Tuesday evening to set up a tie away at Manchester United . Walsall lost 5–1. Sorensen's tenure was marked by the signing of two of the finest players ever to pull on a Walsall shirt. Ivory Coast born striker Roger Boli started the season in superb form, becoming a marked man for much of the season which dampened his predatory instincts. However, Boli's fellow Frenchman, Jean Francois 'Jeff' Peron was a shining light in an otherwise poor league. Despite being 32 when arriving in England, Peron's reputation grew, and Bescot increasingly became the home for scouts from the Premiership and Division One. Though he only scored one goal in his solitary season for the Saddlers, he is best remembered for his mesmerising ability with the ball at his feet and the exceptional performance which tore Macclesfield Town to pieces in the aforementioned FA Cup tie.

In 1998–99, ex- Aston Villa winger Ray Graydon took over as manager and led the club to a runners-up spot in Division Two. [3] They were relegated on the final day of the following season, despite derby wins over local rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers , Birmingham City and West Bromwich Albion earlier in the campaign. 2000–2010 However, the Saddlers returned to the second-tier of English Football at the first attempt, defeating Reading 3–2, after extra time, in a thrilling play-off final at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium . [4] After a promising start to the season, the form began to slip away over the winter period. However, the signings of Fitzroy Simpson and Don Goodman added much needed steel to the side and spurred them on to reach Division One once again. Despite all the success he had delivered, it soon became clear that Ray Graydon had reached the end of the road at the club. In a controversial decision that brought with it the wrath of fans and the national media, owner Jeff Bonser dismissed Graydon after an abject performance live on Sky TV against local rivals, West Bromwich Albion.

His replacement, ex-Wolves manager Colin Lee polarised supporters, but ultimately proved to be a success. The style of football improved, and Lee's signings improved the team dramatically. Relegation was avoided thanks to vital away wins against Nottingham Forest and Sheffield United, and the new spirit in the squad was typified by a vital last-gasp equaliser away at fellow strugglers Grimsby Town (who also beat the drop). The next two seasons were a mixed bag. Lee improved the club immeasurably off the field, allowing it to fulfil part of the huge potential it has. On the pitch some rather dull performances were dotted in between some inspiring football. Again, relegation was avoided in the 2002–03 season because of the signing of key players, such as ex- Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Vinny Samways who returned from a six-year spell in Spain to help the Walsall cause. Samways slotted into a side which many believe was the most talented Walsall team since the clubs golden era under Bill Moore in the late 1950s and early 1960s. 2003–04 proved to be one of the most remarkable seasons in the club's history.

Up until the New Year Walsall were flying. West Bromwich Albion and Nottingham Forest were both destroyed 4–1, as new-signing, the ex-England and Arsenal star, Paul Merson seemed to be repeating some of the magic that had led Portsmouth to promotion the previous season. Following a Boxing Day victory at Cardiff City , the club sat just four points off a place in the play-offs. It wasn't to last though. 2004 saw a spectacular slump in form. The New Year began with a disappointing FA Cup Third Round defeat away at Millwall , which saw Jimmy Walker dismissed for throwing a punch at Dennis Wise . Walker's replacement Andy Petterson slotted in for a home debut against fellow-strugglers Coventry City . The Saddlers capitulated, losing 6–1. The following weeks saw costly defeats, and it took until 13 March for the club to win their first league game of 2004.

The cause was not helped by a recurrence in Paul Merson's well publicised addiction to alcohol and gambling, and though he travelled to a clinic in the United States with the best will of the club and its fans, it is indubitable that his absence took away the talismanic influence of one of the most influential players in recent footballing history. Colin Lee was sacked after a shambolic display at Gillingham , though the reason given for his dismissal was his decision to speak to Plymouth Argyle about their vacant manager's position. Lee had been disillusioned by club owner Jeff Bonser, who had blocked the funds needed for the signing of players who proceeded to be a success at other clubs in the League. Lee was replaced on a temporary basis by Merson, who was assisted by Simon Osborn . Despite the rallying cries of the ex-England international Merson, and the backing of the town, Walsall won only one more game that season, and were relegated, agonisingly by a single goal. On the final day of the season, Rotherham United were visitors at the Bescot Stadium. If Walsall won and Stoke City beat Gillingham in their home tie, Walsall would have stayed up.

The Saddlers beat Rotherham United 3–2, and many fans invaded the pitch upon the final whistle, believing that they had avoided relegation, but as news of a 0–0 draw at Stoke City filtered into the ground, the worst was confirmed. Walsall's relegation left many Saddlers' fans asking themselves just what had gone wrong.[ citation needed ] Merson was immediately appointed as full-time manager of the club in May 2004. Almost as soon as he arrived, rumours started to circulate that he would soon be sacked, polarising Walsall fans who were either behind him or against him. However, despite the question mark which hung over his tactical astuteness, he brought on and developed a number of young players who look set to have a big future in the game. Among those introduced to regular first-team football by Merson, the brightest light is Matty Fryatt , who was the top scorer at the 2005 European Under-19 Championship where he represented England. His strike rate at Walsall was better than the majority of Strikers in both the Championship and League One.

Paul Merson vowed not to stand in his way should a 'big club' come in for him, and it came as no surprise when in January 2006 Fryatt left the club, signing for Leicester City in a deal worth £350,000. Merson's reign as Walsall manager came to an end on 6 February 2006, sacked by Chief Executive Roy Whalley after refusing to resign. Two days earlier Walsall had lost 5–0 for the third time in Merson's reign, providing an interesting[ says who? ] symmetry to his spell in charge, his first game was a 5–0 defeat away at Norwich City , whilst his final game resulted in a 5 goal reverse at Brentford . Long-serving Youth Team manager Mick Halsall was put in caretaker control of the club, but ruled himself out of any long-term ambitions for the job. Former Walsall player David Kelly was the bookies' favourite for the job, but ex-manager Chris Nicholl put his name into the running hours after news broke of Merson's dismissal.

On 17 February, whilst speaking to a local news broadcast, Jeff Bonser seemed to suggest that he would be keen to see Merson return to Bescot Stadium as a player, stating "a fit Paul Merson is an asset to any side". However, Merson would seem to be keener on following personal business interests at this time, taking a break from football until the summer. The practicalities of a former manager returning of a player have been tested before, most notably when Andy Hessenthaler resigned as manager of Gillingham in 2004, but remained as a player. However, Merson holds a much higher profile in football than Hessenthaler, and some speculated that it would have undermined caretaker manager Mick Halsall, and any future manager that would be appointed. Despite all the speculation, there was general shock[ citation needed ] when, on 22 February 2006, former Birmingham City captain Kevan Broadhurst was appointed as Paul Merson's replacement. Broadhurst had been occasionally linked to the job during the vacancy, but was not considered by bookmakers nor fans to have a serious chance for the job.

Broadhurst had a brief loan spell at Fellows Park in Walsall's 1979–80 promotion season. His initial contract was until May 2006 – with the brief to secure Walsall's League One position. Mick Halsall, a former team mate of Broadhurst's, remained with the first team with a view to assisting Broadhurst until the end of the season, when he would return to his original post as Head of Youth. Walsall were relegated on 22 April 2006 after losing 3–1 to Huddersfield Town . Rotherham United 's 1–1 draw with Scunthorpe United saw an unassailable gap of seven points formed. Broadhurst was sacked the next day. Player coach Mark Kinsella was put in charge for the final two matches of the season, with Halsall reverting to duties with the reserve and youth teams. On 3 May, the team appointed their fifth manager of the season in former Scunthorpe manager Richard Money . Money stated his ambition to get Walsall back into the Coca-Cola Championship . Richard Money's reign started with a bang.

The signings of Martin Butler and Michael Dobson along with other signings gave the club potency to get promoted out of League Two. Walsall lost just once in the first 20 league games, including maximum points from their first seven home ties. An impressive start to the season was maintained throughout, and despite a mini-blip in February (including defeats to promotion rivals Hartlepool United and Lincoln City ), Walsall remained in the top three for almost the entire season. Walsall were promoted into League One on 14 April after beating Notts County 2–1 away from home. On the final day of the season, Walsall drew 1–1 with Swindon Town at the County Ground thanks to a last-minute goal by Dean Keates in front of 3,419 travelling fans. With Hartlepool United losing their match against play-off chasing Bristol Rovers , Walsall were awarded the League Two title.

[5] [6] On 24 April 2007 Walsall announced a 'new change' with major alterations: a new kit sponsor revealing that Banks's would no longer be Walsall F.C.'s official sponsor for the 2007–08 season, and that Easy Fit Conservatories would be the new kit sponsor, a new kit manufacturer which is to be Mann Brothers (previously Nike ), and the biggest change, the club badge which was reformed back to the original round design and club swift which has been designed to look more modern. These changes marked an exciting time for Walsall F.C. as they got ready for League One Football in 2007–08. Walsall (in red shirts) playing Gillingham in 2009 High expectations were met as the club performed strongly in 2007–08, a season that included a run of 17 league matches without defeat. However, a January transfer window that culminated in the sales of important first team players Daniel Fox and Scott Dann (both to Coventry City ) caused a drop in form throughout 2008.

The club's play-off challenge was ended after a run of poor results in March leading to Richard Money resigning as manager in April. Jimmy Mullen took over as caretaker manager before being given the job on a permanent basis after the club finished in 12th place. Walsall officially opened their new training ground in Essington in July 2008, following two years of development. This gave the club its own training base for the first time in its history. [1] Walsall endured an inconsistent start to their League One campaign in 2008–09, with a number of home defeats leading to the sacking of manager Jimmy Mullen in January 2009. Mullen was replaced by former Walsall player Chris Hutchings . Hutchings started his reign with a 1–1 home draw with Hereford United . His first win as Walsall manager came against Leeds United on 31 January at Bescot Stadium , with Troy Deeney 's first half goal proving enough in a 1–0 win.

2009–10, Hutchings's first full season as Walsall manager, started with a 1–0 win at Brighton & Hove Albion . The season was again inconsistent. At the start of December, Walsall were 7th and only a point outside the play-offs. This was followed by four consecutive match postponements due to the Big Freeze of winter 2009. On 16 January 2010, Walsall played their first match since 19 December. The start of 2010 brought a slump in form. Walsall didn't win until 9 February, a 1–0 away win at Bristol Rovers . The highlight of the season came later in February when Walsall won 2–1 away at Elland Road inflicting Leeds United 's first home defeat for 13 months. By the beginning of April, Walsall were 13th with only one win in seven league games. The last eight games brought a striking change in form. Walsall's only defeat came away at Huddersfield Town after conceding two goals in added time.

Walsall won their final game 2–1 at home to MK Dons to seal at top 10 finish – their highest since being relegated in 2003. Clayton Ince announced his retirement at the end of the season, while Troy Deeney top scored with 14 goals. 2010 – Present day The 2010–11 season started with a 2–1 defeat to Milton Keynes Dons , however, Walsall recorded their first win the next weekend by winning 2–1 at Brentford . The next weekend saw Walsall gain back-to-back wins for the first time since February by beating Plymouth Argyle 2–1 – the winner coming from on-loan striker Reuben Reid . A run of 6 league defeats in 7 games followed, placing Walsall rock-bottom of the table and setting themselves up for a relegation battle. Poor form continued into the New Year, but manager Chris Hutchings vowed to fight on. However, on 3 January 2011, after a 4–1 defeat against Peterborough United , Hutchings was sacked.

Head of Youth, and ex-Walsall player, Dean Smith was placed in temporary charge. On January 21 he was announced as permanent manager of the club until the end of the season. [7] On 29 January 2011, Walsall recorded their best league result since 1986 by beating Bristol Rovers 6–1. This was Smith's first win in charge, and sparked an upturn in form seeing Walsall gain ground on their relegation rivals. A 1–0 win over promotion chasing Southampton on the 1st March saw Walsall climb out of the relegation zone for the first time since October. A points haul of 8 in April was enough to ensure Walsall were one point clear of the drop zone going into the final set of fixtures. Despite losing 3–1 to Southampton, and accumulating only 48 points, Walsall survived relegation by 1 point ahead of Dagenham & Redbridge . Had it not been for Plymouth Argyle entering administration and being docked ten points as a result, however, Walsall would have occupied the last relegation place.

The 2011-2012 season once again saw Walsall flirt with relegation from League 1. However, a 1-1 draw at home to Huddersfield Town on April 28, 2012 guaranteed Walsall's survival in League 1 at the expense of Wycombe, Chesterfield, Exeter and Rochdale, who were all relegated. A timeline of Walsall's history 1888 – Founded as Walsall Town Swifts 1896 – Beat Wolverhampton Wanderers to win the Birmingham Senior Cup, and also Aston Villa in the Birmingham Charity Cup final. 1896 – Move into the new Hillary Street Ground, which will later become known as Fellows Park , Walsall's home, on and off, until 1990. 1933 – Beat Arsenal in the FA Cup – a result still regarded as one of the greatest FA Cup upsets of all-time. 1972 – Club rescued from financial oblivion by new owner Ken Wheldon. 1975 – Defeat Manchester United and Newcastle United in the FA Cup on the way to the fifth round.

The winning goal against Newcastle is scored by striker George Andrews . 1978 – Defeat Leicester City in the FA Cup on the way to the fifth round. 1979 – Sign striker Alan Buckley back from Birmingham City for a club record £175,000. He becomes player-manager soon after. 1984 – Walsall reach the League Cup semi-finals, defeating Arsenal in the fourth round, but manager Alan Buckley is sacked for failing to guide the club into the Second Division. 1986 – Racecourse owner Terry Ramsden buys the club. 1988 – Promotion to the Second Division is achieved. 1989 – Relegation to Third Division after just one season in the Second. 1990 – A second successive relegation sees Walsall relegated to the Fourth Division, and they moved into their new Bescot Stadium a few hundred yards from Fellows Park. 1992 – Jeff Bonser buys the club, which again was minutes away from entering receivership – players were told to find new clubs, and staff to clear their desks before Bonser's last-minute save. He appoints ex-Wolves boss Kenny Hibbitt as manager.

They remain members of the Fourth Division which is rebranded Division Three on the creation of the Premier League . 1994 – Chris Nicholl is appointed manager. 1995 – Walsall take Premier League club Leeds United to a replay in the third round of the FA Cup. They also win promotion to Division Two. 2011 – Chris Hutchings is sacked as Walsall manager along with assistant Martin O'Connor and chief scout David Hamilton . 2011 – Walsall appoint head of youth Dean Smith as caretaker manager. 2011 – In March, Walsall announce its landlords, Suffolk Life, have decided to sell the Banks's Stadium. [8] Owner Jeff Bonser is then criticised for misleading fans regarding the lease that Walsall hold on the Banks's Stadium. [9] 2011 – Relegation to League Two avoided by one point. 2012 - Relegation to League Two avoid on penultimate day of the season. 2010 supporter protests During April and May 2010, a number of fans began protesting against club owner Jeff Bonser.

The protest group, named 'Unity', staged themed peaceful protests during the last four home games of the 2009–10 season aimed at raising awareness of the financial situation Walsall F.C. finds itself in. Themes used included the use of Cyprus flags and the colour yellow. The protests centred around the ownership of the Bescot Stadium site, on which the club pay a yearly rent circa £360,000. The rent is paid to a Self Invested Personal Pension (Source: Yearly accounts), of which one of the trustees is club owner Jeff Bonser, a situation which some fans [10] [11] feel damages the club. In April 2010 season ticket holders Neil Ravenscroft and Darren Rhodes were given indefinite bans from Bescot Stadium for their involvement, or perceived involvement in the Unity protests. Another fan, Wayne Swift, was also banned for his part in the protest.

At the final game of the 2009–10 season, against MK Dons on 8 May, a large banner which read 'FREEDOM OF SPEECH' was unfurled during the half time interval as an ironic protest against the club's harsh and unfair treatment[ says who? ] of protesting fans. The owner of the banner was then forcefully ejected by stewards. [12] The banner was removed by stewards after a few minutes, and the person who unfurled the banner was ejected from the ground and banned. On 19 May 2010, When Saturday Comes , the popular football magazine and website, published an article written by the owner of the 'freedom of speech' banner, explaining the events which surrounded the unfurling of the banner. [13] Football supporters' websites the Football Supporters' Federation and TwoHundredPercent have heavily criticised the club for their stance on the protests and the treatment of those taking part.

[14] [15] A crowd of 1,793 watched the Saddlers lose 2–1 in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy to Chesterfield on the 31 August 2010, the lowest gate in 20 years at the Bescot Stadium as Walsall fans boycott games in protest to Jeff Bonser. Ownership of Bescot (Banks's) Stadium & 2011 criticism of Jeff Bonser For many years since Walsall F.C moved to the Bescot Stadium (now known as the Banks's Stadium), there has been a bone of contention between fans and majority shareholder Jeff Bonser over who is the beneficiary of the rent that Walsall F.C pay to use Bescot Stadium, a ground they paid to build. [10] [11] In December 2009, Jeff Bonser gave an interview to the Birmingham Mail in which he is quoted as saying "I can say quite categorically that Walsall FC has never paid a penny into my pension fund".

[16] In March 2011, the official Walsall F.C website announced that it had been "informed by its landlord Suffolk Life Annuities Limited of their intention to sell their freehold interest in the Banks's Stadium site". [8] However, following an article in the Express & Star by Nick Mashiter, [17] Matt Scott, an investigative football journalist at the Guardian picked up the story and began to investigate. On March 18, Scott questioned the accuracy of the statement made by Walsall F.C [18] and then confirmed the misleading nature of the club's statement on March 22, saying "Walsall do indeed pay rent to Bonser's pension, as is consistent with the arrangements for self-invested personal pensions. So in fact, the landlord in all but title is none other than Bonser himself. One mystery solved, then (if a mystery it ever was).". [19] On March 30, leading football finance journalist David Conn of the Guardian Newspaper investigated the story still further after he was granted an interview by Bonser.

[20] In the article, Bonser contradicts his previous December 2009 statement in which he claimed "Walsall FC has never paid a penny into my pension fund" [16] by admitting that Walsall F.C does indeed pay rent to a Self Invested Pension Fund owned by him and his brother Robert Bonser. Bonser claims that the Pension Fund invested large amounts of money in Bescot Stadium, however some, if not all, of this investment was in the form of interest free loans which the club have been paying back as well as the annual rent. Between 2008 and 2011, there were murmurings of Council ownership of the Bescot Stadium site. It was reported in the Express and Star Newspaper on 6 June 2008, that Walsall were attempting to sell the stadium to Walsall Council , and renting it back off them to secure the club's financial future. The Council, however, stated they did not have the funds to purchase the ground.

During the Spring of 2011, former Britney Spears record producer, Steve Jenkins, tried to drum up support for the council to buy the land [21] [22] On July 11, 2011, at a full Council meeting, the motion to investigate the possibility of Council ownership of Bescot Stadium was defeated by 28 votes to 24. Mike Bird spoke against the proposal, stating that the cost of simply investigating the purchase would run to "£50,000 or £60,000", and that repayments would be greater than the rent Walsall F.C currently pay, and thus wasn't a viable proposition. This formally ended the Council's interest in buying the Stadium from Jeff Bonser. Walsall in film and television In the film Fever Pitch , the day Arsenal were beaten by Walsall in the League Cup Fourth Round in 1984 is mentioned by Mark Strong as Steve during a game of pool with Colin Firth as Paul.

1970s BBC comedy television series Ripping Yarns : "I didn't come here on a free transfer from Walsall ...." Sky Sports Soccer AM have given Walsall F.C the nickname "Warsaw" due to the similarity when pronouncing Walsall and Warsaw. The presenters of Soccer AM often refer to Walsall F.C as "our friends from Poland". April 25, 2012: During the 2012 Champions League semi-final between Barcelona and Chelsea at the Camp Nou, the Sky Sports commentators mentioned Walsall F.C to highlight the contrasting highs and lows of then Chelsea caretaker manager Robert Di Matteo. It was mentioned that 3 years ago to the very day, on April 25, 2009, Di Matteo was in charge of an MK Dons side that lost 1-0 to Walsall, contrasting with his Chelsea team's 3-2 aggregate win over the then European Champions. Grounds Main article: Fellows Park Fellows Park was a former football stadium in Walsall, England. It was the home ground of Walsall F.C.

from 1896 until 1990, when the team moved to the Bescot Stadium . Bescot Stadium Main article: Bescot Stadium The Bescot Stadium (currently known as Banks's Stadium for sponsorship purposes), situated in Bescot , Walsall, England, is the home ground of Walsall Football Club. It was built in 1990 at a cost of £4.5m, replacing the club's previous ground, Fellows Park , which was located a quarter of a mile away. The ground was opened by Sir Stanley Matthews . Players Current squad As of 27 January 2012. Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules . Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality. No. For details on former players, see Category:Walsall F.C. players .

Players of the season Anthony Gerrard (Player of the season 2005–06 & 2007–08) Over the past few years it has become traditional that professional football clubs have a player of the season award, and Walsall Football Club is no different, for a number of years they have allowed supporters to vote for the player who they think deserves the award. The votes are then counted and the award is normally given out at the final home game of the season. From the 2007–08 season however this is no longer the case. The club instead has a rewards evening for the where all the trophies were given out to the winners meaning it is no longer going to be done at the final home game of the season, which came as a disappointment for those who aren't able to make the awards evening. There has been no less than 14 winners since the rewards have been introduced to Walsall Football Club and for as far back as the Wikipedia records go there has only been 4 players who have won the award twice, Adrian Viveash , James Walker , Anthony Gerrard and Andy Butler . Ian Roper (Player of the season 2002–03) Name

Question: What is the nickname of Walsall F.C.
Answer: Saddlers